thanks for all the great posts....my surgery is scheduled for Jan 8th. I actually feel great...cortisone shot about a month ago seems to be working. After surgery, How soon were you able to drive or sit in the car?

Snowpants: i LOVE hot ribena!but can just imagine gangnam style dancing WITH crutches!!!

cris:its great to hear you are doing so well!awesome update honey!

Jimmy: good luck with your surgery.i really hope it goes well for you. When trying to get in and out of the car, put a plastic bag on the seat as it helps you slide much easier. after my 2 scopes, i was able to get in the car straight away but if you have micro fractures done, then be advised you feel EVERY singel bump and vibration and it hurts!driving wise depends on what procedures you get done but i think 6-8wks is about the norm!Laura

Jimmy: I was cleared to drive by my PT around 3-4 weeks. You need to be off strong painkillers and it is best to be able to remove the hip brace for a (brief) drive. My drive was very short, to go to PT, and my operated side was the left one, and I have an automatic shift car.

Stairs: I have no way to get into my house without climbing a minimum of one flight of stairs. I was cleared to do it immediately after the surgery, but I guess it depends on the surgery. Another surgeon I consulted with said "Sure, you can do it, it will take a while to get up there, though." I almost cried when I heard it, but I made it fine and it was not bad. It should be noted that I was so scared that the first 2 weeks I was going up and down the stair on my butt and with someone checking on me. Then I slowly became a pro with the crutches on the stairs also.

Jimmy:my surgeon made sure i was able to do stairs before he let me go home.i used to shuffle up on my bottom and use the bannisters/husband to haul myself back up to standing.just make sure your wife knows what to expect as she will need to help you more than perhaps you realise. If you havent got one already-go buy a raised loo seat (a total god send after any sort of hip surgery)but most of all-dont expect things to happen really quickly post op. Arthroscopic surgery has quite a slow steady recovery rather than a speedy one.i was fine after 3.5wks after my THR but after my scopes, it took soooo much longer.hope this helps!

My PTs told me to go live my life and not return unless I'm having problems. I'll continue the deep tissue massage (Rolfing), stationary bike and floor exercises. Eventually I'll get on the elliptical, but I'm still having pain with weight-bearing, so that will wait a little while longer.

They warn me that it will take 6-12 months postop to really recover. I may have a very short ski season with flat cross country skiing only. I don't think I will run again, which is actually ok because I never really liked running in the first place.

I'm swimming more, working with a trainer, continuing to work on gait and alignment.

My surgeon does not want to touch the other side until we find out if the first side worked. He was reluctant to operate in the first place, which was smart since it has been a longer than usual recovery.

Jimmy, I was off all narcotics and driving 1 week postop, auto transmission, after surgery on the left side. I got off the narcotics early so I could drive myself to PT.

My 24 year old daughter is scheduled for surgery in Vail with Philippon next week. I remember seeing suggestions for post-op care, but can't find them in the forum logs. Would appreciate any help...also suggestions for managing a long flight home (after a week), and crutches/wheelchairs in the snow! Many thanks.

Hi momofya,I had surgery in Vail with Dr. P in February of this year. It was cold and snowy, but it was much easier to get around than I had expected. Since your daughter is staying for a week post op, I'm assuming she will be doing twice a day PT sessions at Howard Head PT? If so, their facility is at the entrance to the hospital. My husband would drop me off at the entrance and there was always someone on duty to help you in and out of the car. They give you crutches with little crampons on the tips and they actually work! I stayed for two weeks post op and actually crutched around Vail Village quite a bit the second week. They set me up with a CPM machine and Game Ready Ice machine where we were staying. I'm assuming they will do the same for you. It was a pretty intense schedule. My days were full, with twice a day PT sessions that lasted about an hour each, then lots of time in the ice machine (I loved the Game Ready ice machine), at least 2 hours a day on my stomach (to keep the psoas from tightening up), and 4 - 6 hours per day in the CPM machine (which I did overnight). She won't be able to lift her leg on her own. So be prepared to help her in and out of bed and chairs (a recliner was very nice to have). PT will want a family member to watch and learn some of the routines they do so that you can do them for her (passive range of motion exercises) at home.

I'm assuming you already have lodging booked. But it was very nice having a walk in shower (it would have been very difficult to step into a tub for the first couple of weeks). It was also nice to stay in a place with no stairs.

The airlines were great. I arranged ahead of time to have them meet me with a wheel chair when we checked in at the airport. They took me through security and got me to the gate. I had also arranged to have someone with a wheelchair meet me at the airport when we arrived. They got me to baggage claim and then to the shuttle to get to our car. It worked very well. When going through security, they asked if I could walk through with a cane (I had metal crutches with me). I told them no, that I could not put that much weight on my leg. They were fine with that and let me stay in the wheel chair.

Dear HipInOly, How was the plane trip...I'm worried about my daughter being able to use the bathroom on the plane...it's a 5 hour flight home! After 10 days will she be able to use a small plane bathroom?

Originally posted by HipInOly:Hi momofya,I had surgery in Vail with Dr. P in February of this year. It was cold and snowy, but it was much easier to get around than I had expected. Since your daughter is staying for a week post op, I'm assuming she will be doing twice a day PT sessions at Howard Head PT? If so, their facility is at the entrance to the hospital. My husband would drop me off at the entrance and there was always someone on duty to help you in and out of the car. They give you crutches with little crampons on the tips and they actually work! I stayed for two weeks post op and actually crutched around Vail Village quite a bit the second week. They set me up with a CPM machine and Game Ready Ice machine where we were staying. I'm assuming they will do the same for you. It was a pretty intense schedule. My days were full, with twice a day PT sessions that lasted about an hour each, then lots of time in the ice machine (I loved the Game Ready ice machine), at least 2 hours a day on my stomach (to keep the psoas from tightening up), and 4 - 6 hours per day in the CPM machine (which I did overnight). She won't be able to lift her leg on her own. So be prepared to help her in and out of bed and chairs (a recliner was very nice to have). PT will want a family member to watch and learn some of the routines they do so that you can do them for her (passive range of motion exercises) at home.

I'm assuming you already have lodging booked. But it was very nice having a walk in shower (it would have been very difficult to step into a tub for the first couple of weeks). It was also nice to stay in a place with no stairs.

The airlines were great. I arranged ahead of time to have them meet me with a wheel chair when we checked in at the airport. They took me through security and got me to the gate. I had also arranged to have someone with a wheelchair meet me at the airport when we arrived. They got me to baggage claim and then to the shuttle to get to our car. It worked very well. When going through security, they asked if I could walk through with a cane (I had metal crutches with me). I told them no, that I could not put that much weight on my leg. They were fine with that and let me stay in the wheel chair.

I'll stop there but feel free to ask questions if you have any.

Best of luck to your daughter!

HipInOly

Hi! Did you have reconstruction of your labrum? I'm finally going down this road with Dr. P. It's more complicated than I thought....particularly when it comes to insurance coverage.

Anyone that has had surgery with Dr. P and wants to share their experience with insurance coverage and success of their reconstruction....please do!! Feel free to send me a message if you prefer. I'm very interested in others experiences.

Hi Momofya - you know, I don't recall if I used the bathroom on the plane. Which probably means that I didn't. My flight was about 2 1/2 hours. My only concern would be difficulty getting on and off the low toilet seat. The small room might be a benefit since it will give you a wall and the counter to hold onto. I'm assuming airplane bathrooms have handicap railings on the wall, but can't remember. I think she'll be fine and will have learned how to get around after 10 days. I flew first class and had the first row, which was really nice. But you can request the front row bulkhead seating and hopefully they will let her use the bathroom in first class since it will be much closer.

quote:

Originally posted by momofya:Dear HipInOly, How was the plane trip...I'm worried about my daughter being able to use the bathroom on the plane...it's a 5 hour flight home! After 10 days will she be able to use a small plane bathroom?

Hi mp4,I did have reconstruction of the labrum. This was my second surgery on the same hip. The first surgery, by a different surgeon, was unsuccessful so I went to Dr. Philippon for the revision. I'm 9 1/2 months post op. I think the labral reconstruction was successful. But I'm having some ROM complications that make it difficult to know. I had an MRI recently by a local surgeon who thinks my problem is scar tissue adhesions. I sent the MRI to Dr. P for his review but have not gotten any feedback from him yet. My insurance covered everything related to Dr. Philippon's charges, as well as Vail Valley Medical Center. I think the only thing that wasn't covered was the Game Ready Ice Machine. I had originally been told that the hip brace would not be covered, but insurance ended up paying for it. Feel free to ask more questions if you have them.

HipInOly

quote:

Originally posted by mp4:

Hi! Did you have reconstruction of your labrum? I'm finally going down this road with Dr. P. It's more complicated than I thought....particularly when it comes to insurance coverage.

Anyone that has had surgery with Dr. P and wants to share their experience with insurance coverage and success of their reconstruction....please do!! Feel free to send me a message if you prefer. I'm very interested in others experiences.

Originally posted by VinhThiMom:I haven't read all 84 pages, but have read quite a few. I really need some advice. My tentative surgery date is in 3.5 weeks and I don't know if I need it. Bear with me-it's a long story.

I'm 32, female (I know this is MEN'S health, but I found it on google) and have Crohn's disease (auto-immune disease causing inflammation in the intestines). One of the possible complications of this is arthritis. So when my hip started aching 10 years ago, I had an xray. They said I had Crohn's arthritis. I went into remission for 6 years and so did the arthritis. No issues at all. However, I had lower back pain. Had a couple steroid injections (spinal) that didn't help, did PT, it eventually got better. I guess I had a herniated disc. My back would 'go out' a couple times a year, laying me up for a few days and aching for a few weeks, then get better.

December 2010, the Crohn's flared up pretty bad. To date, it's still not in remission (but we're getting really close). One of my treatments is Remicade infusions. It's a TNF-alpha blocker-a type of immune modulator. One of the potential side effects is drug-induced lupus. Anyway, it wasn't working, so we doubled the dose. That first doubled infusion was 6/22/12. The next day, I woke up in such severe pain, I couldn't move. It was lower back and hips, but like nothing I had ever felt. Went to the ER and they did a spinal MRI. They said I had degenerative disc disease and needed to see an OS. I made that appointment and saw a chiro in the meantime. At this point, I was using a walker to get around. I could not go to work (or drive). The chiro just cracked my spine by twisting my hips while laying down. I insisted that the problem didn't seem to be my back, but my hip. He said it was pain from the back issues. I did that for 4 days and it did nothing, so I stopped.

The OS said I could do epidural steroid injections. Oh, and because of the Crohn's, I canNOT take any NSAIDs (ibuprofen, aleve, etc.). I had some insurance issues so I didn't get the injections (plus, they didn't help in the past). I went to another chiro who did spinal xrays and said manual manipulation wouldn't help and I needed spinal decompression therapy ($7k, no insurance coverage). I passed on that. Went to OS #2 and he said I did not need the injection or decompression. I just needed rest and it would get better. He said the disc bulges (L3-S1) were not severe enough to cause nerve pain. They were very minimal and couldn't be causing my hip pain. At this point, I was using a cane, so there's been some improvement.

I went back to my GI (for the Crohn's) and explained the issue. I told him it happened the day after my infusion and he said that couldn't be the issue. He said I need to see my PCP for a referral to a rheumatologist. The PCP did xrays on the hip and femur. Those were normal-no sign of arthritis.

The rheumatologist tested me for rheumatoid arthritis, avascular necrosis, ankylosing spondylitis and did a hip/pelvic MRI. Everything was negative, but the MRI showed a labral tear and cyst. So he sent me to OS #3.

OS#3 (this was yesterday) says, yes, you have a labral tear, but it's rare because it's POSTERIOR, whereas most are anterior. And my pain is in the front of my hip and down the front of my thigh. Some pain on the outside of my hip and buttocks. He said the pain location doesn't line up with the tear location. There are no signs of arthritis. He doesn't want to do hip surgery for a potential back issue. But the back experts have said that's not causing the hip pain. So now I'm stuck. OS#3 said arthroscopic surgery has a 50/50 shot of fixing it, because he's not convinced that's the source of my pain. He wants me to do 2-3 weeks of PT, then if no improvement, I can get the surgery.

I'm still using a cane off and on, limping all the time. I use ice, heat, lidoderm patches, oxycodone, TENS unit and my cane. I can't work a full day (I sit at a desk all day). I can't sleep in my bed (only in a recliner). I wake 1-2x/night in pain. I can't walk more than a few yards. I have to use the wheelchairs in grocery stores. The pain is constant, but ranges from 5-9 at any given time. I'm very sedentary (thanks to active Crohn's) and slightly overweight (thanks to medications for Crohn's). Another complication is I'm now on methotrexate injections (a form of chemo-low dose) as well as the Remicade. And a bunch of other crap, but those two specifically could hinder my recovery (of the tear on its own, or of the surgery). My pain is in my SI joints and my right hip. My left hip aches off and on, but nothing like my right hip.

Also, I'm going to Disney World for a week over Thanksgiving (so, a month after potential surgery) that will require a 15-hour car ride there and back. And a cruise in December that will require a flight. If those are not possible due to surgery, I will put off the surgery and just use a wheelchair at Disney. Is the one-month post-op pain worse than pre-op pain?

The odd part is, I have no clicking/popping/catching in my hip at ALL. Not even once. I also have no range of motion limitations. Sure, bending over hurts more, but I can touch my toes. I can twist around. The OS moved my leg in all different directions, rotating my hip, and nothing made it hurt worse. My only symptom is pain. Bloodwork is all normal.

What should I do? Get a 4th OS opinion? But it would only be a second opinion since the tear diagnosis. I've told every doctor about the timing of the pain and everyone says it's NOT caused by the Remicade (I still have my doubts). I have another infusion on Friday. Do I just get the surgery and hope it helps? Is the pain of recovery worth a 50% shot of improvement? I'm only 32 and have two young kids. This just sucks.

I wanted to update on this. I've had NO improvement of my hip. I finally decided to see Dr. Thomas Byrd in Nashville. He said it's definitely the hip causing the pain, as I actually have TWO tears (one posterior, one anterior). He's very conservative with surgery, but at this point, I've tried PT, steroid injection (helped for ONE day), etc. All that's left is surgery. So he wants to do the surgery.

However, other complications have arisen. My GI confirmed the Crohn's is finally in remission. Yet the abdominal pain continues. So my gyn did an exploratory laparascopy last week and found extensive endometriosis (Not a new diagnosis-I've been on birth control for years for this). At this point, he wants to do a hysterectomy. In a couple weeks.

Dr. Byrd (understandably) wants me 100% recovered from the hysterectomy before doing the arthroscopy. So we're looking at mid-February for that. I do have cam impingement with two tears. He said crutches for 4 weeks, unless he has to do micro-fractures, then it will be 8 weeks. PT started day after surgery and continuing 2x/week for 12 weeks. No driving while I'm on crutches (it's my right hip).

The next few months will be challenging!!

Oh, and Disney World was amazingly wonderful! I rented a recliner for the condo so I could sleep and an electric scooter for the whole week. Only one 'accident' due to speeding to the bathroom with my 5yo who had to potty RIGHT NOW. I turned a corner too quick on the ECV and two-wheeled it, instinctively sticking my leg out to right myself. And of course, it was my bad leg. I screamed so loud, tons of people came running. But I was ok for the most part.

I really want to thank all of you who write in this forum for the assistance you give all of us who are going thru this process (or have loved ones who are suffering torn hip labrums). Reading the posts has answered many questions, calmed nerves, and been a source of strength and support for me and so many others. Thanks, and speedy, complete recovery to each of you.

You have a lot going on and it just sounds like you have a pretty good attitude about it all which will come in very handy with the recovery! I have young kids too so having the hip surgery really held me back from being my usual "mom" self. You will be surprised how much your little ones want to help out.

I see that one of your docs said he doesn't feel arthroscopic surgery would be better than a 50/50 chance. I am one of the people that had arthroscopic surgery first but it made things worse for me. I was on crutches for a year because of that surgery until I finally got my open hip repair done which I actually recovered from so much faster than the arthro. Have you talked to any docs about going with the open hip procedure instead? When they do that type of surgery they can get to the entire socket and do any repair work that's needed. With Arthro they are very limited on the area they can get to.Good luck with the hysterectomy and please keep in touch!

Originally posted by MrsLAF:runningmama:dont you dare cancel your surgery or a few of us might have to hop across the pond and kick some bottom! lol lol!!i hope it will be better than you are dreading!have you got PT sorted out for afterwards?

little things like plenty of magazines/hot ribena/someone to wait on you hand and foot!!all help lots!

yeah I'm not best pleased with the way things turned out. Took a while to get moving on my treatment, and then the army decided they needed to save money and wouldnt pay for my healthcare (despite the fact they broke me. ) but thankfully i had private healthcare policy so get everything i need really fast!xx

No worries, MrsLAF, I won't cancel the surgery unless I'm in some nightmare and wake up before the 21st!! I have my first PT appointment set for the next day, and I'll call in the next few days and schedule more, plus I need to secure my post-op equipment, etc. I have a lot of little things to take care of before the surgery... I've been dealing with sick kiddies so I am behind.

I hope you get better very soon! I think it's horrible that you had to wait, being in the service and all... Shame on them!

Has anyone had their hips "behave" for weeks before surgery? I've been relatively pain free for the last two weeks. I have been moving around a lot, so it's not like I'm sitting still. Hubby and I went downtown over the weekend and did a lot of walking, stairs, etc., and had little to no pain. I am in PT doing all my strengthening exercises, stationary bike riding, and no pain. I'm not sure which side to have done first if neither side is actually "hurting" at the moment. Surgery is in just over 2 weeks.

- Acute crisis in November 2011. Gradually getting better over the space of months, but no ability to run.

- New acute crisis in April 2012 (due to a leisurely bike ride!). Really severe pain, problems sleeping. Slowly getting better, with activity limitation. I was doing relatively better the two weeks before the surgery, but I decided to go ahead.

My bottom line was that I could not live with a ticking bomb in my hip.

So, yes, the pain can come and go, but it's not real healing. That's what everybody told me.

I did not want to be an invalid at 46 and I owe it to my family and myself to be normal if I can.

I am not 4 months out, and I walked (fast!) three miles this morning and I had a 30 minutes quality session with the elliptical over lunch. So, after 4 months, I am way better than before surgery (which in turn was way better than the 2 crises I had before getting better).

That being said, it's your hip and your decision, but you are not the only one having ups and downs, the surgeons tell me that it is quite normal.

Finally, it's better to repair it before you do too much damage to it...

Cris, thank you for the hug and the advice; I needed that little push. I'm glad to know you (and likely others) had pain free times and still had the surgery. I think the hardest part of this injury is the psychological games it plays with you. From the outside, I look totally normal, and a few have wondered why I'd go through this if I'm not limping. I had one family member just tell me to stop worrying about running again. Well, it's more than that and we know that... And besides, even if returning to running is my goal, it's because it brings me stress relief, I love it, and I really want to run again. I also know I may not be able to, so my other more realistic goal is to live as pain free and worry free from that "ticking time bomb" you mentioned so accurately.

I'm pretty sure it's natural to get a little bit of cold feet (ok, a lot) as the surgery gets closer. I'll get through this, and it's fabulous to have people who understand and can help.

Running Mama, that is why this forum is so helpful. Only people with the same experience can really relate and provide targeted support.

The ticking bomb was a huge concern for me. At my worst, I could not sleep and could not even walk for a few blocks. This crisis lasted several weeks.

The hardest part of the ticking bomb for me was that an innocent bike ride precipitated it, even after I gave up on running, which I love! So what else would set it off next? And should I give up everything?

When my husband was traveling with my son over the Summer, I did not take my daughter on vacation because I could not deal with the luggage, the hotel, and the fear of having an pain attack. I felt really incapacitated.

That is no life! I could not be happier about Dr. Nho and my PT and I only hope that my progress will keep going as it has. Megan, with our same surgeon, had the same experience, if not a little faster than me.

That's great news, heat! The article is really inspiring as well! I know THR has come a long way, and it's wonderful that people are able to be more and more active as the materials used and the procedure itself improve. Kudos to people like him who are testing it out for the rest of people who need THR.

I go through the same thing from time to time...oh it's not that bad I can live with it, but then I have days where I just leisurely ride a bike and can't walk for 2 days because of it. I'm sitting almost 5 months post op from my first hip surgery and feel great! I'm not looking forward to having to go through it again next week, but I guess in the end it will all be worth it.

mhuitink, I guess it's more common than I thought to have some pain free days. Like you, I have this bilaterally, so I'll likely have to have both sides repaired as well. I'll have to "pick a side" and do it. I went in with the right side, but now the left flares up more than the right, for the last few weeks. Dr. Nho and his PA said they'd do the more painful one first, but I don't know what to do if I go in on a pain free day! I'm having a 3D ct scan of both sides on Monday, so maybe one side will look more in need on the scan?

Another question for those who bought a stationary bike: what kind and brand did you get/do you recommend? I think stationary bike riding will be in my future for cross training, and my husband has some back issues that would probably benefit from a stationary bike. Any help would be great.

Hi! I got clearance to start a return to running plan and the plan is sitting right here in front of me! I start tomorrow! I am sure that at least some of you will be able to understand my excitement.

Running mama, a friend of a friend lent me a really cheap stationary bike, and it worked wonders. Unfortunately I will have to give it back soon. So, I can only say my cheap one has worked well, but I do not know where it was bought and it does not have much in terms of branding on it.

Originally posted by CrisRuns:Hi! I got clearance to start a return to running plan and the plan is sitting right here in front of me! I start tomorrow! I am sure that at least some of you will be able to understand my excitement.

Running mama, a friend of a friend lent me a really cheap stationary bike, and it worked wonders. Unfortunately I will have to give it back soon. So, I can only say my cheap one has worked well, but I do not know where it was bought and it does not have much in terms of branding on it.

You have a running plan in front of you? Can you tell me what's on it? It's kind of like seeing the final exam before school starts!! I am elated for you, Cris! Of course I understand your excitement!!

Thanks for the information about the bike; I think we'll go to the store and try a few out. I don't plan on spending a whole lot of money on it, but I do know we'll be using it for quite a while since I likely need both sides done.

In other news, I met with my original Sports Med doctor today for a follow up. We discussed my current condition and how PT has helped, but I'm still not able to participate in much sport. He asked which surgeons I saw, and I told him. He refers to both of the Chicago big-wigs, and he quietly and unofficially said that I made the right choice in surgeon. He has several patients who are a few years out from surgery with Dr. Nho, and not a single one had a bad outcome, and not a single one had anything negative to say about Dr. Nho as a person or as a surgeon, nor did they have anything negative to say about his protocol, staff, and overall experience.

My sports doc is very conservative, so his recommendation that I go through with the surgery meant the world to me. He was suspecting it may lead to this point, but was hoping it wouldn't. I am now at peace. I'm still scared, but at least I know I'm not rushing anything and this is my best chance for a successful, active life.

Running mama, I am really glad that people know how stellar Dr. Nho is!!! I am also happy that you are at peace with the decision to have surgery.

I was really hoping to be asked about my return to running plan. I am more than happy to share it, discuss it, and dissect it into every single detail. So, here is the idea : the plan lasts 4 weeks, and one runs three times every week, on non-consecutive days. Of course, any worsening of symptoms requires a discussion with one’s PT and a slowing down of the progression to running. One in that case can run twice a week, or repeat a week if it felt hard on the hip. At the end of the three weeks, if all goes well, one will be running 30 minutes straight three times during week 4, and will then be progressing normally (but with increases of no more than 10% a week) to a more normal (for the person) running routine. Day 1: Warm up walking. Do 6 intervals of 4.5 minutes of walking and 30 seconds of running. Cool down walking. Stretch well.Day 2: Warm up walking. Do 6 intervals of 4.0 minutes of walking and 1 minute of running. Cool down walking. Stretch well.Day 3: Warm up walking. Do 6 intervals of 3.5 minutes of walking and 1.5 minutes of running. Cool down walking. Stretch well.So, at every run, if all goes well, you walk to warm up, then you do 6 five minutes intervals. During those 5 minutes intervals, you increase the running and decrease the walking by 30 seconds every time. Then walk to cool down and stretch. So your Final day before running 30 minutes straight, at the end of week 3, would be:Day X-1: Warm up walking. Do 6 intervals of 30 seconds of walking and 4.5 minutes of running. Cool down walking. Stretch well.Then , starting on week 4, day one, you run for 30 minutes with no interruptions!

hello everyone!runningmama: hope your kids are better now!not long to go now until your surgery.interesting to read the posts about THR's and how much activity we can do afterwards.i can go hill walking a few times a week now and if it wasnt for the burning pain in my other hip from a confirmed labral tear and cartiledge wear down i would be unstoppable!

Cris, I love that plan, and I look forward to your progression as you kick butt through it! Is all the running outside or on a treadmill? I am so excited for you, I can hardly stand it! Please don forget about us when you're all better and running in the wind!

I too love hearing wonderful things about your surgeon. Dr. Nho gets rave reviews from every physical therapist I mention him too, and even my husband's PT has said how amazing he is. Truly comforting to this Nervous Nellie.

Cris, when did you get your crutches? Beforehand?

MrsLAF, thankfully the kids are doing better, thank you for asking. Yes indeed, my surgery is quickly approaching. This weekend, my husband and I are going to put together a list of to-dos and start checking them off. Nerves are huge at this point...

You have a lot going on and it just sounds like you have a pretty good attitude about it all which will come in very handy with the recovery! I have young kids too so having the hip surgery really held me back from being my usual "mom" self. You will be surprised how much your little ones want to help out.

I see that one of your docs said he doesn't feel arthroscopic surgery would be better than a 50/50 chance. I am one of the people that had arthroscopic surgery first but it made things worse for me. I was on crutches for a year because of that surgery until I finally got my open hip repair done which I actually recovered from so much faster than the arthro. Have you talked to any docs about going with the open hip procedure instead? When they do that type of surgery they can get to the entire socket and do any repair work that's needed. With Arthro they are very limited on the area they can get to.Good luck with the hysterectomy and please keep in touch!

The 50/50 surgeon did not know about the anterior tear. He felt the pain I was having could not come from posterior tears, so he didn't have high hopes that the surgery would work. Dr. Byrd reviewed the same MRI and saw an anterior (as well as the posterior) tear. So he's convinced the pain IS a result of the tear. I've also had the steroid injection since then, which helped temporarily and he said that indicates I could get the same sort of relief from surgery.

Dr. Byrd pioneered this surgery and wrote the book on it, so if anyone can fix me, it's him! I'm holding on to hope that both surgeries will fix me up. Radical hysterectomy is scheduled for 12/26.

Bikes: my pt said, anything as long as the pedals go around. I borrowed an ancient Schwinn Exerciser and it is the best! Super comfy seat and I can sit completely upright. $75-100 on Craig's list.

I was also given a gym-quality spinning bike (about 10 years old). It is uncomfortable as anything and requires a much more forward leaning position, which I could not tolerate at all in the beginning.

So my advice is, cheap and upright. I went to my local rec center and tried all their bikes, and there was nothing better than the Schwinn for postoperative comfort.

You may want a bike that is very different from what your husband will be comfortable on.

Hi Running Mama! I will not forget about my fellow hippies, do not worry!

They gave me the crutches after the surgery (which I am currently donating). I also got a walker because I was so dizzy. They brought the CPM and the ice machine at the hospital. I remember we met with the CPM person before the surgery.

My insurance has denied the CPM claim for the second time. The bills is for $2,700. We will see what happens next.

I will keep you posted on day 1, week 1 of my return to running plan. :-) Oh, I am planning to run outside, with my trusted Garmin keeping check.

I'd hardly be able to sleep knowing I could run outside again!! Woohoo for outdoor running. I hope you have a great report for us when you be back.

Why on earth would an insurance company deny the CPM machine? Are they smoking something?! I've heard they say they'll cover it before surgery then deny if afterwards... how completely evil. Fight hard. It's not like you're asking for coverage for a family vacation.

Thanks for the tips about the crutches and for everything else. I'm sure as my day approaches I'll have more questions for you!

Thank you! I am second guessing, should I still run today? Maybe I did too much yesterday, maybe I sat too much, maybe I should bike and run tomorrow. You know what? I am going to try it and stop it if it does not feel right. In that case, In can always try tomorrow again and do the bike later. I will report later on.

Mrs. LAF, it is a pain to move before the holidays and in the dead of the winter. I hope you love the new house.

I am thinking of Megan too... December 13' right? We will be rooting for you and waiting for news! Good luck!

Exactly four months have gone by since my hip surgery and here I am, reeling to run again. I have permission to run and a return to running plan in my hands. I am ready.

I last ran on Thanksgiving 2011 and I am more than ready. I have a never used running rain jacket and never used winter running tights and never used running shoes to put on. I proudly and happily put them on. My Garmin is fully charged and barely recognizes me after over a year of hibernation.

It is cold (in the lower thirties), windy, and drizzly. There is no way I am going to be deterred. I am going out and running along the lake like the local running gods and goddesses, like I used to do.

So I set out at a brisk walk pace to the lakefront, it's about a mile. Then I start, 30 second running, and four minutes and a half walking. For six times. It's only three minutes of running in total, I know, but it feels like heaven to me. The running segments go by only to fast, but I am happy , and hopeful, and I have a big, big smile. I smile at everyone on the path and beyond.

Then I take a hot shower, and I do a nice yoga stretching routine. Now I am here, reporting to you about it, and hoping, and smiling.

Will this last, will it work out this time? I do not know, but I will enjoy every single second of running, rain, snow, wind, and whatever else.